Potato-planter.



E. W. KITCHEN.

POTATO PLAITEB.

nmornol nun 001.". ma.

Pafenfd 00t10,1911.

1,005,435. I Pawnwd oet. 1o, 191x.

OIIEETHBBTI Snwntoz Wma-n MMM w* W..

C. I. llTOHSI.

MMO rLAITlI. muuu nu c". n. m0.

hlld 0d. 10.19"

...IUD-lill? t a, 111.11111 Ms i -iib MN5 1 1:. w. KITCHEN. ,mmmnw-wf Poma 111.1111511.

APPLICTIOI ULEB 00T. Il. "10. 1,005,435. Papentd 011110.11111.

Suunto:

u l Grimm,

P.. w. KITCHEN.

POTLTO PLAHTBB.

APPLXOATIOI I'ILID 0012. 1910.

Patentd Oct. 10. 1911.

0 llEETl-IKEBT I.

Witwen 1,005,435. lO'lA'l'O-lliAN'lIllt. liuaxo iii-zi. W. lx'rrcnizx. Solelairy, la. Filedl Oct'. 22, 1910. 'Serial 538,509.

To all whom it may cou-cern.

lle. it, known that. l, l'lnaxri-zi. Wd

Krrciii-zx, a citizen ofthe. United States.

residing at. Solclinrvfin the county ofi lluelt's and State of lennsvlvania, liiive inventcd certain new and useful improvements in Iotatodlauters. of which the tollowiug is a specification. My invention relates-to iniprovements in iotnto planters. an object of the inventionI icing to provide n wheeled device of this character adapted to he drawn over thel ground, and automatically drop at. predey teriniucdintervals, potutoeyes or seed po' tato-fs. into tlu` ground prepared for their' reception und covered at'ter they are" ulruppml, i

.\ t'urtln-r ohjeet is -to provide improved mechanism for elevating the potatoes into' `a .suiluhle pochel, improved means for mov- 1' 'ing the potatoes one at, a time from the; :pocket and depositing them iu the pochets;

of a rotar'v droppcr. which turns continu' if @tutors in prepared ground. l further oh crt fons-lv and drops at regular intervals the pol is to provide u device iol' this character with improved hopper.;-

,iuiprowd means For conveying the. iotatocs 'from thc hopper into a pocket, san pocket having means for discharging superfluous pot atocs into a receptacle designed for their i Ireception, and provide a conveyor for curryi .ing the potatoesl in said last-mentioned re- ,ccptacle hack into the hopper. g A further olijeet is to provide an'ini proved set of pivotcd potato engaging arms, i ymounted upon a. rotary disk and adapted to i ,he operated in i'egular order to remove po. l tatoes from a suitable pocket. und drop them i onto the ground. and p rovide improved l means for exerting,r spring pressure upon; each of said arms as they reach a iredeterniiiicd point in the rotutionof the t isk.

With these and other objects in view, the l invention consists in certain novel features i;

ot" construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully 4 hereinafter described and the claims.

i Tn the accompanying drawings: Figurer 1. is a view in side elevation illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2, is a top plan view. Fig. 3, is a view in longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a view i in section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig.

5,'is a view in section on the line 5-5 of lig. 2, and Figs. 6, 7, S,l 0, 10, 11, and 12, are views illustrating various details of con struction.

pointed out. in f.

l, represents a hase frame which is supt ported at its rear on a driving axle 2, on

which traction wheels are tixed and tho forward end of the fraaie 1, is supported on a. casterevlieel 4. Suitable mechanism (not shown) is to he provided at the forward end of the frame for the attachment of draft shaft in the hopper with a stiri'ci or lagi tator 11, the. latter comprising a disk haring a circular series of kuohs t2 thereon, said dish continuously revolves so as to ircvent tho potatoes from packing in the'z iopper. Over the rear wall t3 of. the hop-t per, a chain conveyor 14 is adapted to uiovo and passes over sprocket. wheels lo, and 16, respectively. This conveyor l-| comprises a` chain having a series of blades 1T thereon adapted to move the potatoes upwardly out of the. hopper and this coiiveyer moves lietween enlargements 1S on partition 121, said enlargements serving to direct hack into the hopper excessive potatoes which may project. over the ends of thc hlades. lhcy sprocket. wheels 15 and 1G are secured upon s 'ia'i'ts 19 and 2O respectively, which extend tirough the casing 6, and the. conveyor 14 directs the potatoes over the upper sprocket wheel 15 into a pocket 21. from which they are removed one at a time by .means et pivotcd arms 22 on a rotary disk 23 in chamber 8.

To prevent. any potatoes from falling out.: of the lower end of the hopper as the con-V veyor enters the same, a door 42 is pivotcd to frame 1, and this door is opened liy .the passage of a bladcl'?, and closed by gravity.'

The pocket 2l. into which thc potatoes are dropped liy conveyer 14 is of general hoppery forni having fixed side plates 24. and a pivotcd end plate 25. Below the pocket. 2l, a ltransverse shaft. 26 is located and projects through a easing (i, and on this siatt 2t'. u sleeve 27 is fixed and carries n circular series of three radiiilly disposed plates 2S which are adapted to move through pocket. 21 and serve to intermittently forni a coniplete closed pocket by constituting the rear wall-of said pocket, and then move away to leave the pocket-open, so that the excessive potatoes in thc pocket may fall out and prevent an overaccunnilation therein.' A hinged plate 29 is also located at the rear. end and upper portion of the pocket 21, andI i and is supported on sprocket wheels 3l. and

35 respectively, the latter being secured upon shafts 36, and 8T respectively, which project through a conveyor casing 3S atone side. ol' the casing (i. This conveyor may of course he made in various \va.vs.,`hnt preferably such plate being hinged so as to prevent@ consistsfof a plurality of links :ltnhaving fixed lilades -l0 thereon. 'l` his chain eonvever 32 directs lhepotatoes in 'pocket :il iip wn rilly and forwardly onto ii chiite 4l, which directs thein hack into hopper 9. 'lllii. .d ils 23..alieifc mirri-eilte is centime '"lfly revolved iii tlicilirertioii of llie iirrow :Jion-'n in Vijf. 2'. :iiiilfis tixed to the .sha ft. Ilil prop-cling! through the. caniner 53. 'l`ho arins L'c. :ire pirotallv'connected h v screws -li to; ili-k ff. and each :irni is provided at one side ii ith :i roller ll adapted to run against. the edge of :i cani I'l5 secured to a partition j .il hereinafter referred to. l

-It,-is ii lever fiilerinned hetweeii its ends i 'on ii hrm-liet. -l and provided al its lower: rend willi a pivoted holt- 4S, whieh'lirojccts 'through the partition T. and is provided 4with a coiled spring.r lll. the tension of which i is adjusted h v :i iint ."itl. 'l`he upper freef end of the level' lt'i presses 'rearwardly and i is adapted` iis disk .l revolves. to alter-v nateliengage the ends of the iiriiis 22 toi foi-ee the latter forwardly. when they are permitted this iiioveiuent hy the cani 45, and the :iraisl are olf-set oi' lient as shown iiiore clearly in Fig. ll to allow the ai'nis to pass lever 46, and its roller 51 which contacterA with the. :ii'ins liefore the arins' reach a point' ot' cani 45, where they can be thrown on their pivot.

.l".aei arni 22 is provided at its free end with twoteeth 52,v preferably of different.' lengths, which are adaptedto stick into a, vpotato in pocket 21, and reniove the same fi-oni. the pocket, and carry the same hack f into casinir 8, the. potato bein;r freed from the teeth o2 when the arm moves through a restricted slot or opening` 53 in a partition 5t in easing 8. The potato then falls down upon an inclined iivotcd or hinged platform i which directs tlie saine into any of n series of pockets ."ili in a rotary dropper 5i'. J'tI hinged gato 58 at. the lower end of partition 'i'. hears against. the peripher o-f tzlie drop ier r 'i veletti', and GS,

are. two transverse shafts supported on fraino 1 and connected hy gears 6%) and 70. gear 69 heing larger than gear 70', south-at. shaft t'i'i' is driven at. a slower speed than shafty (i8.

The several shafts ahi'ive descriliid are driven hy sprocket, wheels and chains. :is will now lie pointed ont. A sprocket wheel Tl on axle 2, is connected hy a chain 72 with n s irocket. wheel 72. on sha ft` GR, and. a .see-

oni sprocket wheel 7l on shaft (t8 is enniieeted hy a chain T5 with a sprocket. wheel 76 on the. agitator shaft. t0. As before slated. niotion is transmitted from shaft. GR to lsha ft 6T hy nieans of the gears T0 and G0.. i and on this shaft 6T two sprocket wheelsl 'i'. land TS respectively are secured. One of these s ii'iicket. wheels is connected h v a chain 79 witli a sn'oeket wheel S0 on lshaft llil, while, the ot ier (if these sprocketl wheels is connected liv a chain Sl with sprocket. wheels H2 and 82' on shafts 19 and 2G respectively. All of the ahove mentioned sprocket wheels and chains are` preferahly on one side of thc plaiiter .nnd shaft. (1S. whieh projects lievond the other side of the planter, provided with a sprocket, wheel 8l, which is connected hy a chain 85 with a sprocket wheel S6 on shaft. 37. l

The operation is as follows: As the. inachine is drawn over the ground, the several shafts are driven as above explained, and the furrow-opener 5f) prepares the' soil and opens a furrow for the reception of the pola# i toes, while the coverer 64 serves to nieve the .'i'i. closinir the pockets after they receivel i the' potatoes, and loin.,r enough to reve-nt their escape, iintil the dropper reac ies theI proper positionjor dropping them. This -proper position is in rear of a curved spring I furrow-opener 59, which is fixed to n shaftl fit) having an oscillatory mount-ing in a bearing 61 secured to the frame 1, To this shaft (l0 a rearwardly and downwardly inl elining liar 69. is fixe( and is provided at. its i .frceend with a pivoted arm til to which an l inclined eovevei' ('i-l is fixed. 'lhe hinging of I the coverer t'rl allows it to ride freely over t t the ground, that. is, it allows it. to move npi wardly lint its downiinirdly hineing moveuient is prevented hy the abutting ende of liars 62 and arnis (i3. This furrow-opener, and the har 02 niay be raised and lowered hy the operator by moving a cord 65 attached to tini' 00 extending along one of the hiindles and secured to a crank n 6 ainfiiio. m o" soil over the potato. Asthe machine travels over the ground, the conveycr 14 continuonsly moves a number of potatoes from hopi per 9 into the pocket 21, from which the. arms 22, at regular intervals, more into the ioekets, im ale the potatoes and carry theni into the cianiher 8, said potatoes hein.;r knocked from the arms as they pass through the restricted opening or slotfifl in partition 54, and to prevent any possibility of the potatoes flying hack a pivotcd sei-'een plate 87 is provided in chamber S against which sneh potatoes would strike and he deflected down onto the platform 55 from iivhich they are directed into the pockets of the rotary dropper 5T, and from the latter onto the ground. It is, of course, iiiipossihle to so arran e the several parts that. there will always ie just a single potato in pocketv Q1, and in order to insure that. there is at least one in the pocket to he engaged h v the arms, the conveyer 14 is arranged to carry more potatoes` lo the pocket. than are necessary, but. the rotary movement of the plates 2S through the pocket. directs the siirililns down the inclined chute 30 into the octet. 31, and they are returned to the o i er 0 by means of the chain conveyer 32.-

arious slight changes might he made in i the general form and arrangement of parts i described without departing from niv inveni tion, and hene e I donnot liiii't myself to the /o sce-V55 l.ln a potato planter` the combination?, with a traine. a easing supported on thel'i'anic, an axle supporting one end of, the

traine, traction wheels ou lsaid axle. and means supporting the, other end of the trame, ot' :i hopper in the, easing, a pocket.

in the easing. nicnas for conveying patatoes from the hopper into the pocket, a scrics ot spring-pressed arms, andla spring-pressed lever constructed to engage said arms and move them to intermittently remove a potato t'roii the poeltet. and drop it. onto thel ground,substantially asdcscribed. Q

, Q. ln a potato planter, the combination with a traine. a. easing supported on the titanic, an axle supporting one end of the frame, traction wieels on said axle, and means supporting the other end ot the frame, a hopper in the casing, a pocket in the casing. means for conveying potatoes, from the hopper to the pocket, a rotaiy disk in the easing, and a seiiesot ainis con- -nected to said rotary disk and a springpressed lever engaging said arms and constructed to move said arms to .intermittently remove the potatoes from the pocket and drop them on the ground, substantially as described.

il. In a potato planter, the combination with a fraaie, a casing supported oir the frame, an axle supporting one end of the frame, traction wheels on said axle, and means supporting the other end of the frame, a hopper in the casing, a pocket in the easing, a conveycr constructed to carry otatoes, from the hopper and deposit them in the pocket, enlargements in the hopper at opposite sides ot" the conveyer detlecting surp ns potatoes from the conveyor baclc to the iopper, and means for removing potatoes one at a time from the pocket anc dropping them onto the ground, substantially as described.

4. In a potato planter, the combination with a fraaie, a easing supported on the traine, an a'xle supporting one end of the traine, traction wheels on said axle. and means supporting the other end o't' the traine. a hopper in tho casing` a pocket in the easing, means. for conveying potatoes from the hopper into the pocket, means foi' reinovin" the potatoes one at a time from the poel-tetI and dropping them onto the ground, and means for discharging surplus potatoes from the pocket, substantially as described.

,s potatol planter, tlie'combination with a fi'aiiie, a casing supported on the traine, an axle lsupporting one end ot' the t'raliie, traction wheels on said axle. and means supporting the other end ot` the frame, a hopper in theI casing. a poeta-t in the casing, means for conveying potatoes from the hopper into tho poelaet. iiieaiis for 'removing the potntocs one at a time troni the pocket and dropping them onto the ground, said pocket. having a spring wall` and a rotary series of radial platea con, sti'uctcd to intermittently constitute n wall ot said pocket. so as to intermittently open .j the pocket. to allow the potatoes therein to escape, substantially as (esei'ilied.

(i. In a. potato planter, the combination willi a frame, a easing supported on the frame, an axle supporting ono end of the. frame, traction wheels on said axle. and

removing the. potatoes one at a time t'roin f; the pocket and dropping tliciii onto the ground, said pocket having a. spring wall.'

" a rotary series of radial plates constructed i, to intermittently constitute a wall ot said f pocket so as to intermittently open the pocket to allow the potatoes therein to escape. a i chiite down which potatoes from the poeltet. are directed, and a conveyor onto which said chute directs the surplus potatoes, and said conveyor being constructed to return 'such potatoes to the hopper, substantially as dcscribed. 7. In a potato planter, the combination i with a. frame, ii. casing supported on the i frame, an axle supporting one. end ot the, 5 frame, traction wieels on said axle, and means supporting the other end of the frame, a hopper in the casing, a pocket in the casing, means for conveying potatoes from the hopper into the pocket. means tor reniovinnr the potatoes one at a time from the pocl'tet and dropping theai onto the ground, said pocket having a spring wall, a rotary series of radial plates constructed to intermittently constitute a wall of said Ipocltet. so as to intermittently open thc y pocket to allow the potatoes therein to esl cape, a chute down which potatoes from the pocket are directed, and a conveyor onto tary stirrcr or agitator in said hopper. couiprising a disk, and a circular series ot' knobs or prfiections thereon, substantially as describe .8. In a potato planter, tho combination with a frame, wheels supporting;r the fraaie. -an axle turned by said wheels; nad a easing -Aon the frame, of a. hopper in the casing, a

. means supporting the other end ot the f frame, a hopper in the casing. a pocket. in

g the casing, means for conveying potatoes', from the hopper into the pocket, means for which s aid chute direetsthe surplus pola toes, said conveyer being constructed to re' turn such potatoes to the hopper, and a io` vpoviait inr the rasing. and ini-aus l'oi' coii vrelriiiir-thr potaim-.w t'roni thi` hopper to the tpm-iwi. it-la rotary li-opper tiwil on sind :ixli unil having :in iiniiiiliirfsiiiis of porkl the potatoes from tho hopper tn the. pocket,- a i'olaiv disk in said rliziinlier, ii series ofi iii'ins .piroted to sziiil ilisli .und :id :ipti-il tu 'pi'ojeit through ia slot iii said partition and', lets. means for riiiioving. potiities from tho` engage potatoes in the poi'ket,a eiiiii, rollersI .tix-stanontioind pppket. and dropping theni 0n tlm nrmg engaging .the said rain: noi-ii into tlii\.pni:l\'rt.-z of-,the ili'oppri. and n nially lioldiiig tliem withdrawn or iiiin-,I hinged platform directing the'potatoes into pm-tivo position, a lever piroted laiton-,rug thailroppei, Substantially as described. im ends m1 adapted at. one. end to enf-gap@ 9- l" n' lintln llltlltli N- "tmllmllm, tho arms at a point in the movement of t ie :with a 'i'iinie, wheels supporting the fiaiiie, disk, a. spring pressing said lover toward the, :an iixle tiirned by said wheels, and a misi-ng '5g arms, and 'means for arlpisting tho teniopi ou tho fraint,'of n hopper in tho easing, a l of said spring, iiiiibstaiitiiiltvA HS itt-ffl Pt Epocketinthe easing, and means for convey?- j 13. Tn a potato planter, the combipationi :ing tho potatoes from the hopper to the with a frame, wliCOlS Slllm'imnl?" lmml", pooliet, of a rotar i.I droppe-rtixed on said"l f and a casing on the franie,of a \erti .a fpali-v 4 iix'lo aiul haring an annular series of ioelcits, j ttion forming a chamber at one end p t 10; ',nieana for removing potatoes from tie Iirsti easing, a hopper in the casing, n POC ci l lthe porkets of the dropper a hinged plat'- from'the .hopper to the p oclici, ffiif) form directing thepot-atoesintothedropper, disk in said chamber, a series of aims pix;l and ahinged gate. closing the ioelcets ofthe .t oted to said d isk n hd nlllcl l" lrtJf-f; dropper (hiring 'a portion otl their movej 3 through a slot in said partition and 0MM-.0

mentioned pocket and dropping them into the casing, means for conveying the potatoes nient, siibstaiipall),- as described. potatoes in tho pocket., a cani, rollei tlhle l0. In a palato planter, the combination ,'l arms engaging the said C Mh mimi, l with a fraaie, wheels supporting the frame, ing them withdrawn or in inopeia yne po. i-

vand a easing on the frame, of a vertical g, i tion, a lever pvoted between its ends andt lpartition forming a chamber at one end of f. adaptedat one end to engage theI arm? gt- ;the easing, a hopper in the. easing, a pocket a point in the movement of the dislt, a )o 'in the casing, means for conveying the petat connected to. the opposite end of said le\ ei i008 from the hopper to the pocket, a rotary i'- and prmecting through the partition 1a disk in saidelianiber, a series of arms pii'otg; i, spring on said bolt, and a niit on said o t ed to said 'disk and adapted to project, L engaging the spring, whereby the tension of l through aslot. in said partition and engage the lspring may be regulated, substantially; potatoes in the pocket, a cam, rollers on the as described. 55 varms engaging the said cam, normally holdf In testimony ii'iliereof have signed my 5 ling them withdrawn or in inope 'itive posif t name tcl), tli'speciaation in the presence ofytion, and means for moving sait arms on two sii scri in" wi nesses. j naar pana i0 engage ai@ ,mams in am r E iiANUEL w, KITCHEN.A it tpockets, substantially as described. t Witnesses: 'K

i 11. Tn a potato planter, the combination e R. H. Knnn'xm, iwith a frame, wheels supporting tho frame, i i C, E. Parra.

land a easing on the frame, of a. vertical, i """""""""""""""mf"- partition forming a chamber at one end of i "f iq f the casing, a hopper in the casing, a pocket I in the easing, means for conveying the potai toes from the hopper to the pocket, a rotary disk in said elinmhor, a series of arms pivoted to said disk and adapt-.ed to project through a slotl in said partition and engage potatoesin the pocket, a cam, rollers on the arms engaging the said eain, normally holding them withdrawn or in inoperative position, and a spring-pressed lever adapted 4to engage said arms when .they reach a. iredeterniined point. and more them on tieir pivots to engage a potato in the pocket, siibstiintially 'ns deseii ied.

1Q. .Tn a potato planter, the combination with a frame, wheels supporting the frame, and n. casing on the frame, of a vertical partition forming a chamber at one end of tho easing, alhopper in tho casing, a pocket ln 4tho casing, means for conveyingi 

